Support for Two State Solution Dips

Jerusalem, 16 February, 2017 (TPS) -- Recent polls among both Israelis and Palestinians show that among both groups, support for a two state solution continues to decrease, but it still remains more popular than other alternatives.

The polls were conducted by the TAU’s (Tel Aviv University) Steinmetz Institute for Peace Studies, and the Ramallah-based PSR organization. The poll was taken shortly before yesterday’s meeting between President Trump and PM Netanyahu.

A small majority (55%) of Israelis still support a two state solution. Over the past dozen years, this figure has dropped sharply. For several years, polls showed over two thirds of Israelis were in favor of such a solution.

The two state solution is slightly more popular among Israeli Arabs (just under 60%), than among Israeli Jews (just over 50%).

Among the Palestinians disenchantment with the two state concept is even bigger, with only 49% of the respondents saying they still supported a two state solution. The last poll, done in June, showed 59% of Israelis and 51% of Palestinians supporting it.

Support for other alternatives, although significantly lower, is increasing. Approximately 15% of Israelis opposed to the two state solution support a one state solution, and about 10% are in favor of the “Confederation” solution proposed by the “One Homeland Two State” movement. This is quite impressive, since this plan has not received significant media coverage, and most of the movement’s activities are grass roots in nature.

Both sides show significantly increased enthusiasm for a two state solution if it was part of an overall regional rapprochement between Israel and the entire Arab Sunni world. In this case, 30% of Israelis and 28% of Palestinians who initially expressed opposition to such a solution said they would be in favor of it under those circumstances.

The poll showed record levels of distrust between both sides. Over 75% of the respondents from both sides said the other side could not be trusted.

This contrasts sharply with Israeli attitudes towards Arab states, which most Israelis believe can be trusted to keep the agreements they sign with Israel.